Actresses show 'hate' for Woody Allen using just their eyes

Kate Winslet’s peers are unamused by her praise of Woody Allen. (Photo: YouTube)

Kate Winslet is going viral for the wrong reasons.

Over the weekend, the Los Angeles Times published an awards season roundtable with actresses who’ve received Oscar buzz for their performances this year, including Winslet, Margot Robbie, Saoirse Ronan, Annette Bening, Jessica Chastain, and Diane Kruger. While each of the women spoke about their parts, it was the Wonder Wheel star’s praise of Woody Allen that garnered her some serious side-eye.

When asked about the tone of her film, Winslet began by praising the controversial filmmaker. “Woody Allen is an extraordinary writer, and he’s obviously known for having created extraordinary roles, very powerful, complicated roles for women for many, many, many years, and to join that lineage of incredible actresses made me feel terrified and also immensely privileged. And it was a responsibility as well,” she raved. “I think his effervescence and enthusiasm really was quite infections for everyone.”

Winslet’s acclaim for Allen seemingly did not go unnoticed by the other women, and their reactions quickly lit up Twitter.

As Winslet eventually moved on from the topic of Allen to discuss her character, Robbie and Ronan appeared to cut her some slack, throwing a few laughs and smiles her way. (Or maybe they both deserve to win Best Actress for this performance.) Still, the beginning is awkward.

Many also pointed out that their silence sent a more powerful message than their eyes.

did any of them say anything while she was talking or are we just praising them for making faces?

This is not the first time the Titanic star has stuck by the director. Throughout her press tour, she has clumsily tried to explain her decision to work with Allen despite the sexual assault allegation against him by his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, which has naturally resurfaced.

“Um. It’s just a difficult discussion. I’d rather respectfully not enter it today,” she recently told Variety. That response came months after she was criticized for her explanation to the New York Times. When asked whether the allegations gave her pause, Winslet said, “Of course one thinks about it.”

She continued: “But at the same time, I didn’t know Woody and I don’t know anything about that family. As the actor in the film, you just have to step away and say, I don’t know anything, really, and whether any of it is true or false. Having thought it all through, you put it to one side and just work with the person. Woody Allen is an incredible director. So is Roman Polanski. I had an extraordinary working experience with both of those men, and that’s the truth.”

While Winslet seems A-OK with Allen (and Polanski), she has denounced former collaborator Harvey Weinstein, who stands accused of assault, harassment, and/or misconduct by more than 80 women. (He has denied any allegations of nonconsensual sex.) It’s unclear what — if any — the Allen effect has had on Winslet’s awards season race given the current climate of sexual harassment in Hollywood. Wonder Wheel has been absent from the 2018 Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards, but Oscar nominations have yet to be announced.